The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-03-24

placed the bricks, sprang upon my
horse, and rode OF at full speed. {.
That day in the hunting field ! was
thrown from my horse and killed on
the spot; and ever since it has been
my dreary tate to haunt this earthly
home of mine and try to avert the
consequence of my sin-try to guard
from any possibility OF discovery the
fatal notes which l SO rashly and
wrongly made. Never till now has
there seemed aught OF help for me
or hope of deliverence from this weary
task; but now will you save me? If
show you where my book is hidden,
will you swear by all that you hold
sacred to destroy the paper that it
contains without reading it-without
letting any human eye see even one
word of it's contents? Will you pledge
your word to do this?"
II pledge my word to obey your
wish to the letter, said the Bishop
with solemnity.
The gaze of the priests eyes was SO
intense that they seemed to pierce his
very soul, but apparently the result
of the scrutiny was satisfactory, for
the phantom turned away, with a
deep sigh of relief, saying, "Then fol-
low me-"
With strange sense OF unhealthy the
Bishop found himself following the APP
partition down the broad staircase
to the ground floor, and then down q
narrower one of stone thitt seemed to
Ia 4 - nat1o x.oy,tfc
Suddenly the priest stopped and turn
ed toward him.
"This is the place." he said placing
his hand on the wall; "remove this
plaster, loosen the bricks, and you
will find behind them the recess OF
which l spoke. Mark the spot well,
and-remember your promise"
Following the pointing hand and
apparent wish of the spectre, the
Bishop closely examined the wall at
the spot indicated and then turned to
the priest to ask another question;
but to his intense astonishment there
was no one there-he was absolutely
alone in the dimly.lighted passage.
Perhaps he ought to have been pre-.
pared for this sudden disappearance,
but it startled him more than he
cared to admit, even to himself. He
hurried up the stairs, and presented
himself still breathless with the sur
prise, in the dining groom.
His prolonged absence had caused
some comment, AMI now his agitated
appearance excited general attention.
Unable for the moment to speak CO.
herently, his only answer to the earn.
est questions of his host was sign
which referred him to the hostess for
explanation. With some hesitation
she confessed the GRAND upon which
her request had dispatched the
bishop, and, as may easily be imagin'
ed, The intensest interest and excite
ment were at once created. AS soon
as the Bishop had recovered his voice,
he found himself compelled to relate
the story before the entire party, con-
cealment being now out OF the ques'
ton. Celebrated as was his eloquence,
it is probable that no speech he ever
made was followed with closer atten,
ton than this; and at it's conclusion
there was no voice to oppose the de-
mand that mason be at once sent
for to break down the wall and search
for confirmation OF this wierd yet dra,
matically oircumstantial tale. After
q very short delay the man arrived,
and the whole company trooped
eagerly down stairs under the Bishops
guidance to watch the result OF his
lahors. The Bishop could hardly re,
press shudder as he found himself
once more in the passage where his
ghostly companion had vanished 50
unceremoniously, but he indicated the
exact spot which had been pointed out
to him, and the mason began to work
upon it forthwith.
1.-THE plaster seems very hard and
firm" remarked some one.
eyes," replied the host, lit is of ex
cellent quality and comparatively
new; these vaults had long been dis
used, am told, until my predecessor
had the old brickwork repaired and
plastered over only a few years ago.
BY this time the mason had succeed
ed IN breaking away the plaster and
loesenlng brick or two at the point
indicated, and though perhaps no ONT
was actually surprised, yet there was
a very perceptible stir of excitement
among the guests when he announced
the existence of a cupboard or cav
ity about two feet square and eighteen
inches deep in the thickness of thu
wall. The host pressed forward te
look in, but instantly recollecting him
sell, drew back and made way fol
the Bishop, sayings
II was forgetting your promise fol
the moment; to you alone belongs TIT
right of the first investigation here"
Pale, but collected, the Bishop step
ped up to the cavity, and after on
glance put in his hand and drew fortl
a heavily bound, old-fashioned book
thickly covered with dust or mould
A thrill ran through the assembled
guests at the sight, but no words
broke the silence of the awe-stricker
expectation while he reverently open
ed the volume, and after turning Owe
few leaves, drew from between thu
pages q piece of writing paper-yellov
with age, on which were some irregu
lar, hasty- written lines. AS soon a.
the Bishop was certain that he hat
found what he sought, he averted hi
eyes from it, and the others fallin.
back to make way for him, bore i
carefully up the stairs and into tn.
nearest room and cast it reverently
into the fire burning on the hearth, al
most as though he were laying a sa
cred offering upon some Gowastrian al
tar. Until the last scrap OF the mys
teriously found document was reduc
ed to finder, ne one spoke; and ever
then, though o few disjointed exclama
tions Of "Marvellaqs! wonderful in
deed! who could have believed it?'
broke forth, the majority were far TOT
deeply impressed for words. Tn
Bishop felt that none who were pres
ept on that occasion could ever forge
it's lessens==he himself least OF all, ant
indeed he could never tell the story
even after years had passed, withou
the profoundest emotion. The fgur
of the priest. he added, was neve
seen again in the house where he hat
SO long guarded bis guilty secret.